Don't be afraid, come make your films in Ayodhya. Or Allahabad or Brajbhoomi. This is Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s message to Bollywood.At an interaction session with the film industry on Friday evening at The Club here, the self-styled first lady of Dalits won over Bollywood with sops, magnanimous subsidies up to Rs 20 lakh and tax cuts. Even free police security for outdoor shoots and discounts in state tourism rooms.‘‘I know you filmmakers are afraid of the law and order situation in UP. But when I am the Chief Minister, hardened criminals loose sleep. They are all in jail,’’ Mayawati said.The rhetoric is topped by a Rs 1 lakh cheque and reimbursement of medical expenses to Vrinda Pusalkar, Dadasaheb Phalke’s ailing daughter.‘‘I belong to a social and political line. I never have time for films. But I like films with a social message and are inspiring,’’ she said. So the industry, now gasping to stay afloat, sent Mayawati flowers and lined up to grab the offer. Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Asrani, Ila Arun, Yash Johar, Om Prakash and Anu Malik mingled with the Chief Minister, who was chaperoned by an amiable Shatrughan Sinha. Sinha called the sops ‘‘unheard of’’ and insisted he would not let go of the chairmanship of Uttar Pradesh’s Film Development Corporation despite rumbles in political circles.‘‘Films are a serious economic activity for UP. Maharashtra is a small state, why are you filmmakers roaming around these small small states?’’ Mayawati said.When someone questioned her about the fate of Deepa Mehta’s Water, she said: ‘‘I was not in power then.’’ Unlike other chief ministers, she is not a ‘‘Ghoshna Minister’’, she added. Barely 24 hours earlier, Mumbai’s industrialists had heard a similar line.The film fraternity, on its part, welcomed the opportunity. ‘‘There’s sagging morale in the industry and we should view this policy optimistically,’’ Kher said. Prakash said: ‘‘It would help Bollywood, balanced on the brink of a precipice. In my 40-year career I have never seen such a crisis. I’d also request Mayawati to put in a word to RBI officials about film financing guidelines. They are unworkable.’’ Arun announced on stage that her film would be shot in UP.
